Alice in Drabbleland
by Amanda N. Lupin
Summary: Alice 2009 a series of Alice & Hatter moments in a series of drabbles
1. Chapter 1

"Jack's a lucky guy," Hatter muttered softly.

"What," she asked confused. Hatter shook his head and suggested that they both get some sleep, but she had heard him, was merely surprised to hear it. Was Hatter jealous? Of Jack?

Alice lay awake beside the fire for some time after Hatter's soft snores and Charlie's far louder ones filled the still night air.

_Jack's a lucky guy._

Was he though? Alice couldn't be so sure anymore. All the things Hatter had said on the beach about him were true, and swirled about in her head frantically. What if this was all some ploy for Jack to get the ring and her for his mother? Who was this fiancee of his anyway? Why, she thought furiously, fists curling into balls as she tried vainly to sleep, was every guy she liked only using her?

Every guy? When did Jack become every guy?

Hatter jumped under his coat and whimpered in his sleep. In a moment Alice was on her feet and then kneeling by his side. A nightmare. She knew the looks of one when she saw it, having had many of her father since he had left. Gently she picked up the hat which had fallen over his eyes, and sat it beside him. With extreme care not to wake him, fingers lightly brushed a few strands of his wildly unruly hair from his forehead. He sighed softly, his tense body relaxing in an instant.

"Alice." The whisper was so faint if Charlie had been mid-snore she might never have heard it, but between deep breaths, Hatter's soft utterance competed only with the crickets and owls. It was unmistakable. He was now dreaming of her. What about she wondered, was it a good dream? The small smile that flitted across his face seemed to suggest so.

But why did she care what he thought of her? What sort of dreams he had of her? He was just using her to help the resistance wasn't he, she thought bitterly. Why does that bother me so much? He's getting me home, that's all that matters isn't it? But somewhere in the annoying back of her mind, the voice that never knew when to quit and leave well enough alone haunted her. But Hatter wasn't just using her anymore. He might have left her any number of times now, could even have stolen the ring while they slept here under the stars, she had had to wait until nearly sunrise to sneak away, as he had lied awake most of the night. Why was he still here? Why hadn't he took what he wanted and left her? He could be the hero of the resistance, have all the fame and glory in the whole of Wonderland for it. So why hadn't he? Charlie was half-crazy, and determined to redeem himself, but what about Hatter? What about her? Why was it she cared so much that he was still here and his motivations for staying?


	2. Chapter 2

Some things, once done, cannot be undone. Things said, that cannot be unsaid.

Alice had stood at the top of that hill most of the morning after sunrise, watching the horizon beyond for shapes, his shape. Not that, at this distance, she might have recognized it, but she was too stubborn to think of that. He wasn't coming. She'd hidden the ring, and now, knowing he was not likely to get it back from her, he had left her here.

She had to force back tears when she saw his head coming up over the hill, watching his every step as he drew nearer to her. She had missed him. What in the hell was the matter with her? What did it matter if he had come back or not? But, an annoying part of her brain nagged. It did matter. For reasons unknown, unimaginable, inexplicable, it mattered. It mattered a lot.

The hill wasn't really such a great climb. Steep, certainly, but not the reason for his breathlessness. She was wearing his coat again, and the idea of Alice wearing any of his clothes was driving him crazy. But Hatter forced the thought back down, and plunging forward with his news. The resistance would help them, they were sending someone. God she was beautiful. Had she always been so? Yes, he thought immediately, she had. How could he have missed her so much? He had been gone longer than he had even known her, and somehow her absence had torn at his very soul. Suddenly he noticed she didn't seem to be paying much more attention to what he was saying than he was speaking his news.

"You okay," he asked softly.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming back," she confessed softly, eyes still stuck on his. She hadn't meant to say it, to show such vulnerability, but staring into those deep brown eyes, the words had just spilled from her.

"You still don't trust me?" He sounded hurt, though the moment the quiver in his voice had broken through, he did a good job trying to conceal it.

Alice didn't like where this was going. She did trust Hatter. With her life. When had that happened?

"How soon 'till he gets here," she asked, quickly changing the subject.

He was going to join them, the resistance. She couldn't be sure whether this seemed brave or foolish. Perhaps it was both. Some part of the whole thing which she could no longer account for made her sad. The image of poor Hatter being forced to connive the Heart's, his loyalty being always in question from the resistance, seemed no way to live. Not happily at least, but then, very little of what she had seen in Wonderland seemed to have experienced true happiness in some time.

"What s'matter," he asked concerned, when she had become suddenly silent and pensive on their walk back to camp.

"What will I do? If I get stuck here," she asked softly. It had nagged at her brain some time now, and if Hatter planned to join the resistance, what did that leave her with? Charlie? The implication of him joining the resistance was beginning to sink in. It would leave her with no one. He was as every man before had been, there when it served his needs, and now he was going to leave. Leaving.

"Then I'll make sure you're okay," he replied honestly. His response took her off guard, interrupting and making her forget the wild, panicked thoughts of yet another man she loved leaving her.

Wait. Loved? Was that what this was? No, it couldn't be. She had known Hatter, oh hell what sense of time could one have in a place like Wonderland. But surely not long enough for that. Even Jack... What about Jack? She had known him far longer, and suddenly she was reevaluating everything she had thought and thought she had felt about him. Had Jack been special? Yes, but he had never made her feel quite like this. Not a once. No man had.

He was leaning in closer to her, centimeter by torturous centimeter at a time. She could have stopped it, but she couldn't imagine wanting to.

"I think your luck is finally changing," he smiled. She could feel his hot breath on her face. He was getting closer. She felt her eyes drop closed of their own accord, her body scooting closer, slowly, gently pressing in against his...

"Hello Alice, I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Yes, you prick, she thought furiously. God she hated him. In that moment, she hated Jack Heart. What was it to him to ruin her life, he had done so once already, hadn't he? Come to her world, toyed with her emotions, used her, drug her here to this crazy place, and then expected her to play nice and join his little game of house with his psychotic mother and jealous fiancée? Now he was out to destroy the little bit of happiness she'd ever found in either world. Hatter, backed away to a more respectable distance, stepping in front of her to shield her, but Alice didn't move, didn't let go of the hand he had moved to cover her either. Hatter wasn't leaving. Would never leave her. Would protect her. Her heart soared.

A stick! The bloody idiot had picked up a stick. A stick to defend her honor against Jack with what looked to be Chalie's sword. He was defending her honor. Nobody had ever done that before. Hatter was a good fighter, but she couldn't imagine seeing him hurt. Not now that she knew how much he meant to her.

"Who's your friend?"

"Just a friend," Alice replied, trying to keep Jack at bay, and calm, just keep him from tearing Hatter limb from limb. Hatter meanwhile, unnoticed by Alice seemed to suddenly go limp. Was that all they were? Would he always have been second best. Not bad, at least until precious Jack Heart came back for her?

"You two looked pretty friendly."

"You jealous Jack?" So that's what this was then, a ploy to make her silly prince boyfriend jealous? Make him see red and leave that duchess of his for her. Hatter had thought her less manipulative, more considerate of other's feelings than that, he had thought maybe she... Had he been so wrong?

"A little."

"Did I hear that right, the guy who's engaged to a Duchess is worried about me?" But wait a moment, there was more than just anger in those words. She was hurt. Hatter felt his fists curl again. Didn't matter if Alice chose him or not anymore, Jack was gonna pay, one way or the other.

"You know that was just an act."

"No. I don't," she replied stubbornly. She had listened to him on that beach, Hatter thought, feeling his heart race with hope, had thought about it more. Alice didn't know, well Jack, about Jack. He'd been lying to her from the very beginning what motivation was there to put any trust in him now? And what had he ever done to make her safe, however vain the effort? How had he ever tried to protect her the way Hatter had?

"Come I brought you a horse let's get out of here." What the hell? Where did Jack come from thinking Alice would just up and go with him, he hadn't explained a damn thing, not a crumb to them.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Hatter replied defensively, stepping in front of her once more, awaiting his backlash.

"You know she can't stay here." The hell she couldn't, Hatter thought hotly. And even if they did have to leave, she wasn't going to be leaving with him. He, Hatter, could take care of her.

"No, stop it both of you. I need to know about my Dad," she whispered apologetically to him. "Is he here," she demanded rounding on Jack.

"Yes. He's alive and well, and if you let me, I'll take you to him."

"Really?"

Please Alice, Hatter thought frantically, biting his tongue, only because he knew she would be angry if she didn't hear about her father. He's using you, Hatter thought desperately, angrily. He would say anything...

"Don't tell me you trust this guy," Hatter pleaded. Not after all the fighting I had to do to win it. Don't just give it away to him so easily Alice, please, he begged silently.

"He knows where my Dad is."

"He'll say anything to get his hands on the ring!" To get his hands on you, he thought panicked. She couldn't truly be buying all of this. Could she?

"How did you find us?"

"You sent for me. I'm the agent who's supposed to escort you to Caterpillar." No, it couldn't be. Jack, a part of the resistance? Impossible. But if Jack really was working for the right side... Then a guy like him... Why would Alice want some crazy, crackpot, tea shop owner when she could have a prince, soon to be king, the whole of Wonderland at her fingertips and beck and call...

"So who are you going to trust to get you and your father back home," Jack asked closing in on the pair. "A resistance insider, and future king, who's already scheduled your return trip through the looking glass, who cares for you more than anyone else in the world," Not possible, Hatter thought furiously, feeling his fists ball up again, clenching the stick tightly in his hand. "Or this man?" This man, Hatter thought frantically, the thoughts seeming nearly shouts and screams in his head. Trust this man, Alice. This man, not Jack. This man, who loves you! Not him. I love you Alice! I love you! He could feel tears building up, and only just managed to keep them at bay, but knew even as she turned to consider him that she would see them. Damnit.

He had lost. He couldn't promise her her father, much less the kingdom... He felt like a little boy again, and the yard bully had just stole his hat and stomped it into the ground. Hatter let the stick fall uselessly to the ground, stepping away, still avoiding her beautiful soul-searching deep blue eyes.

"I wish you all the luck in the world Alice."

"You're coming with us, Hatter," she replied matter a factly, as though shocked he would even consider something to the contrary. She couldn't honestly think he wanted to see the two of them together. He couldn't stand it now...

"I don't think I figure in the future king's plans," Hatter replied bitterly, forcing a half dimpled smile for her.

"He's coming with us," she insisted, turning to Jack who was now tucking away the ring for safe keeping.

Of course Jack probably liked the idea even less than he did. Quick to come up with some excuse about her and her father's safety to keep away his newest adversary. However pitiful a substitute suitor he was, they had been near a kiss when he had arrived.

"But Hatter's stood by me," she protested. Another excuse from the great and mighty future king of Wonderland, Hatter thought scathingly. Yes Alice, I stuck by you. I would have always done, but I can't follow you now, not with him.

"Hey," he whispered, soothing her even as his own heart broke. "I wouldn't want to go with this guy anyway."

"What will you do?" Ache something terrible for you for the rest of my miserable life and probably drink myself to death trying to recapture the joy, happiness, and love I'll never feel again, he thought darkly. But he didn't say it. Couldn't say that to her, not with the worry and concern written all over her face. He couldn't rob her of her father, of future happiness so that he might be happy, it was too selfish.

"Me," he asked forcing a grin, as though her concern were some sort of amusement, rather than another twist of the knife in his heart. "You kidding? He was trying, God was he trying, to embody that smug, sarcastic humor that had been second nature before he met her, but it seemed now, heartbroken as he was, like trying to scoop a star from the night sky. Laughing as though a woman's concern for a man who couldn't have needed it less was funny, he even tried to share the false smile with Jack and Charlie. The prince seemed unconcerned, and Charlie shot him a morose glance that clearly understood him, forcing Hatter to look away, to the only face left, Alice's. "I'll be fine." Her blue eyes studied him disbelievingly. God, just look away, he thought frantically. "Believe me, you're better off with this guy," he conceded, forcing down the quiver in his voice. "Go."


End file.
